United Planet Vice President Theresa Higgs had a wonderful time in Mongolia this month. She was traveling and training and making connections in the capitol and the countryside, along with Anindita Dutta Roy of iEARN.

The wonderful exchange between public schools in Mongolia and Boston will take place in 2011. Fifteen students and teachers from each country will have their minds and hearts opened by traveling to the other country, living with families, touring historical sites, and exchanging information about media in a civil society. These folks will travel free of charge, thanks to a grant from the U.S. State Department Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs – surely giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

United Planet is honored to be the organization chosen to implement this program on the ground in Mongolia and in Boston, MA. But what a task! We have to train teachers, interview students, locate host families, consider translation challenges – and learn loads and loads!

Nicholas D. Kristof’s op-ed piece “D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution” offers insight into the efforts of a few “passionate individuals with great ideas” who are working to “help the world’s most vulnerable people.” This article is eye-opening: who knew that the price of sanitary napkins in Mozambique is causing absenteeism in the workplace? Mr. Kristof tells the [...]

The following is a message we  received from our Tibetan Country Coordinators in light of the recent earthquake: Dear UP friends and members, We feel so thankful for your help and warm hearts. You have been really helpful all the time and we really do feel better when we receive word from you. Judy and [...]

In December of 2008, United Planet volunteer Gloria Wells went on a two-week Quest to Tibet. When she returned, she knew she wanted to do more for the amazing children she had worked with as a volunteer. After speaking with the English teacher at “Number One Middle School” in the Yushu region of Tibet, she [...]